Support for mesh-like structures, especially for use in reinforced concrete



, A rillz, 1966 w, ERNST 3,245,191

SUPPORT FOR MESH-LIKE STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY FOR USE IN REINFORCED CONCRETE Flled Feb. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l /N VE N TOR l/affer [PA 5T 3,245,191 FOR April 12, 1966 SUPPORT FOR MES United States Patent 3 Claims. ni. 52686) The present invention relates to supporting devices for mesh-like structures comprised of joined superposed intersecting rods, more particularly, though not limitatively, for use as reinforcing means in floor, roof and the like concrete constructions. In the latter, accuracy in placing the reinforcing steel mesh is essential, inasmuch as an error in the position may alter the character and strength of the final structure, as well as result in other drawbacks and defects well known and referred to herein.

An important object of the present invention is, therefore, the provision of an improved supporting and spacing element for concrete steel mesh and the like reinforcing structures by which the prior and related difiiculties are substantially overcome and which will enable the accurate positioning of the structures upon a supporting surface, such as of the formwork of a concrete floor, roof or the like construction unit.

In constructions of this type, aside from the necessity of providing a desired final strength, the reinforcing structures must be sufficiently spaced from the outer surfaces of the concrete body, in order to prevent the penetration of moisture and resultant oxidation or corrosion of the steel rods or mesh. In the construction of concrete walls or floors, this requirement applies to the reinforcements adjoining both the bottom as well as the top surface of the floors or the like slab-like construction units. This makes it necessary to accurately fix and maintain the position of the mesh or the like structures before and after the pouring of the concrete, respectively.

The foregoing aim is achieved according to the present invention by the provision of simple and efficient chairlike supporting structures or elements for the mesh or the like structures assembled in the formwork of a concrete floor or the like construction unit. Ordinarily, the supporting means for the lower reinforcement of a floor or the like differs from the supporting means for the upper reinforcement in design and construction, special difiiculties having been encountered in the past to fix and maintain the position of the upper reinforcement especially if the latter is in the form of a steel mesh or mat.

When using single intersecting rods as reinforcements adjoining the upper surface of a floor or the like concrete unit, the same may be supported by the lower such as a mesh-like reinforcing structure by struts or braces being preferably integral with and extending upwardly from said structure. However, when using steel mesh for the upper reinforcement of a floor or concrete slab, a secure support and spacing of the mesh is required by the use of special supporting and aligning devices or spacing elements.

Accordingly, further object of the invention is the provision of an improved supporting and spacing element for the mesh or the like reinforcing structures for use especially, though not limitatively, in reinforced concrete slab construction of the type referred to, which will ensure a stable and substantially plane supporting surface of said structures; which will prevent slipping or displacement, as well as bending or tilting of the structures during and after assembly and pouring of the concrete; and which is both simple in construction and easy to use or assemble in connection with existing reinforced concrete floor and the like constructions.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects, as well as novel aspects thereof, will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spacing and supporting element for steel mesh and the like structures, especially for use in connection with reinforced concrete construc tions; and

FIG. 2 is a further perspective view showing a complete reinforcing mesh structure or assembly adapted for use in concrete floor or the like construction and embodying the ilgrggroi ed spacing and supporting elements according to Like reference numerals denote like parts in both views of the drawings.

With the foregoing objects in View, the invention involves generally the provision of an improved supporting element for a reinforcing mesh or the like structure of the type referred to comprising essentially a pair of parallel supporting rods connected by a plurality of spaced transverse bracing rods and being bent into a U-shape, in such a manner as to provide a chair-like supporting structure having four legs and a pair of intermediate supporting portions, said intermediate portions being bridged by at least two intermediate bracing rods or the like supporting members. The construction of the supporting element is furthermore such that the ends of said legs coincide with a common plane being parallel to the planes defined by both said intermediate portions and bracing rods, respectively. As a consequence, with the intermediate bracing rods having a suitable diameter, a pair of intersecting rods being part of a mesh structure and placed symmetrically upon said support positioned upon a horizontal base or surface, will be supported at four points by said intermediate portions and said intermediate bracing rods, respectively, in an accurately parallel and aligned position in respect to said surface which may be part of the formwork of a reinforced concrete floor or the like construction unit.

While, in order to achieve the foregoing result, the diameter of the lower of the superposed intersecting rods of the mesh or the like structure depends upon the thickness or diameter of the intermediate bracing rods serving as supports of the upper rods of said structure, the diameter of the upper rod may be equal to that of the lower rod or have any other desired value, to ensure a four-point bearing support of the entire structure at a position parallel to the base or supporting surface. In order to vary the diameter of the lower interesecting rod of the mesh or the like structure, the intermediate portions of the support maybe formed, according to an improved feature of the invention, with trough-like depressions designed to receive part of the cross-section of the lower rod or rods of the structure, in such a manner as to again ensure a four-point support and accurate alignment of the rods 0r mesh, in a manner as will become further apparent from the following description of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 denotes a pair of parallel supporting rods connected, such as by spot welding or the like, by a .pair of transverse bracing rods 11 and bent into a Ushape or frame to provide a chair-like support having four outwardly flaring legs and a pair of horizontal intermediate portions 12, the latter being provided, in the example illustrated, with central trough-like depression 12 and bridged by at least two bracing rods 13. The ends of the legs 10 coincide with a common plane being parallel to both the planes defined by said intermediate portions 12 and the bracing or supporting rods 13, respectively. As a consequence, with the support being positioned upon a horizontal surface, such as the lower wall of a concrete formw'ork, a shown by FIG. 2, an intersecting rod structure 14, placed upon said support in relative symmetrical position thereto in respect to its intersection point 16, will be supported at four supporting or hearing points, that is, by the depressions 12 and the rods 13 acting as supporting or bearing means, in such a manner as to ensure a stable and accurate parallel position of the structure from its base or supporting surface.

If the diameter of the lower rod 14, which may be part of a concrete steel mesh, equals the diameter of the supporting rods 13, the depressions 12' may be dispensed with. On the other hand, a proper shape or depth of the depressions makes it possible in a most simple manner to adapt the device for use in connection with any mesh or the like structure, to suit any existing conditions or requirements. In other words, the intermediate bracing rods 13 have a diameter such as to define, both with or without the depressions 12, a common supporting surface together with the lower rod 14 of a mesh placed across the intermediate frame portions 12, said plane being parallel to the supporting surface or plane containing the ends of the legs of the structure.

Referring to FIG. 2, the numeral 17 indicates the crosssection of the completed portion of a reinforced concrete fioor which may be supported at least in part by a brick wall 19, and numeral 18 shows the formwork of an uncompleted wall portion upon which has been assembled a reinforcing mesh structure in accordance with the invention. In assembling said structure, at first the lower mesh comprised of intersecting double and single rods 20 and 21, respectively, is mounted in position parallel to the formwork wall by means of suitable supporting and spacing elements (not shown), whereupon the elements 22 constructed in accordance with the invention are positioned at predetermined points of the supporting area to serve as supports of the upper mesh structure comprised of the intersecting rods 14 and 15, in the manner shown and described in reference to FIG. 1. As a consequence, the upper mesh 14, 15 is fixed and maintained at an exact predetermined distance from the lower and upper surfaces of the concrete wall before and during the concrete pouring operation. The distance between and the distribution of the supports 22 is suitably chosen in dependence upon the character and size of the mesh, to ensure the exact parallelism and support thereof, substantially without bending, slipping or tilting of the mesh or rods. Furthermore, the bracing rods 13 supporting the upper rods 15 of the mesh are so spaced from one another, to ensure a complete encasing of the rods by the concrete, and from the bends of the supporting legs 16 as to eliminate any appreciable shearing stress on the welds joints at the intersections of the rods 14 and 15, or to prevent sliding or slipping of the mesh during the assemblying and concrete pouring operations.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in reference to a specific illustrative device. It Will be evident, however, that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent parts or elements for those shown herein for illustration, may be made Within the broader purview and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

I claim:

1. In concrete reinforcement consisting of a mesh consisting of a set of spaced parallel first reinforcing rods and a set of spaced parallel second reinforcing rods overlying and intersecting said first rods and being affixed thereto at the intersection points of the rods, a supporting structure for said mesh comprising in combination:

(1) a pair of spaced parallel wire frames each having a pair of flaring leg portions and an intermediate portion,

(2) a plurality of spaced bracing rods arranged transversely to and connecting said frames, to provide a chair-like structure with the ends of said leg portions coinciding with a common base plane and with said intermediate portions defining a plane parallel to said base plane,

( 3) said intermediate frame portions being bridged by at least two intermediate bracing rods of predetermined diameter overlying the same upon positioning said structure upon a horizontal surface,

(4) said mesh resting upon said support structure with said first reinforcing rods parallel to said intermediate bracing rods and said intersection of said mesh positioned within the area enclosed by said intermediate frame portions and said intermediate bracing rods, the lowermost portion of the second reinforcing rod at the intersection being coplanar with the uppermost portions of said intermediate bracing rods, to thereby cause said mesh to be supported at four points by said intermediate frame portions and said intermediate spacing rods, respectively.

2. In concrete reinforcement as claimed in claim 1, said intermediate frame portions being provided with central depressions receiving one of the intersecting rods of said mesh having a diameter in excess of the diameter of said intermediate bracing rods.

3. In concrete reinforcement consisting of a mesh consisting of a set of spaced parallel first reinforcing rods and a set of spaced parallel second reinforcing rods overlying and intersecting said first rods and being affixed thereto at the intersection points of the rods, a supporting structure for said mesh comprising in combination:

(1) a pair of spaced parallel wire frames each having a pair of flaring leg portions and an intermediate portion,

(2) a plurality of spaced bracing rods arranged transversely to and connecting said frames, to provide a chair-like structure with the ends of said leg portions coinciding with a common base plane and with said intermediate frame portions defining a plane parallel to said base plane,

(3) said intermediate frame portions being bridged by at least two intermediate bracing rods of predetermined diameter overlying the same upon positioning said structure upon a horizontal surface,

(4) said mesh resting upon said support structure with said first reinforcing rods parallel to said intermediate bracing rods and supported by said intermediate frame portion and said intersection of said mesh positioned within the area enclosed by said intermediate frame sections and said intermediate bracing rods, the upper most portions of the first reinforcing rod and of said intermediate bracing rods lying in a common plane parallel to said base plane.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 389,885 9/1888 Hammond 52682 1,641,109 8/1927 Wilson 52687 1,729,612 10/1929 Goldsmith 52320 2,349,399 5/1944 Aubrey 52-686 2,428,137 9/1947 Bitney 52-688 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Examiner.

R. A. STENZEL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT CONSISTING OF A MESH CONSISTING OF A SET OF SPACED PARALLEL FIRST REINFORCING RODS AND A SET OF SPACED PARALLEL SECOND REINFORCING RODS OVERLYING AND INTERSECTING SAID FIRST RODS AND BEING AFFIXED THERETO AT THE INTERSECTION POINTS OF THE RODS, A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR SAID MESH COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (1) A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL WIRE FRAMES EACH HAVING A PAIR OF FLARING LEG PORTIONS AND AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION, (2) A PLURALITY OF SPACED BRACING RODS ARRANGED TRANSVERSELY TO AND CONNECTING SAID FRAMES, TO PROVIDE A CHAIR-LIKE STRUCTURE WITH THE ENDS OF SAID LEG PORTIONS COINCIDING WITH A COMMON BASE PLANE AND WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS DEFINING A PLANE PARALLEL TO SAID BASE PLANE, (3) SAID INTERMEDIATE FRAME PORTIONS BEING BRIDGED BY AT LEAST TWO INTERMEDIATE BRACING RODS TO PREDETERMINED DIAMETER OVERLYING THE SAME UPON POSITIONING SAID STRUCTURE UPON A HORIZONTAL SURFACE, (4) SAID MESH RESTING UPON SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE WITH SAID FIRST REINFORCING RODS PARALLEL TO SAID INTERMEDIATE BRACING RODS AND SAID INTERSECTION OF SAID MESH POSITIONED WITHIN THE AREA ENCLOSED BY SAID INTERMEDIATE FRAME PORTIONS AND SAID INTERMEDIATE BRACING RODS, THE LOWERMOST PORTION OF THE SECOND REINFORCING ROD AT THE INTERSECTION BEING COPLANAR WITH THE UPPER MOST PORTIONS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE BRACING RODS, TO THEREBY CAUSE SAID MESH TO BE SUPPORTED AT FOUR POINTS BY SAID INTERMEDIATE FRAME PORTIONS AND SAID INTERMEDIATE SPACING RODS, RESPECTIVELY. 